Curated playlist

1979 births

Kate HudsonKate Hudson reached the end of a long awards season in 2025 with a striking comparison. Her first brush with acclaim, she said, had felt like a "shock entrance, or invitation, into this world." This time was different. When you have been…
Michael OwenBefore he turned twelve, footballer Michael Owen had broken Ian Rush's goalscoring record.
Eliezer YudkowskyA 2023 Time op-ed by Eliezer Yudkowsky reached the White House press briefing room.
AaliyahAaliyah signed her first record deal at twelve. By 22 she had three albums and two films behind her.
Hedo TürkoğluHedo Türkoğlu's surname means "Son of a Turk." His Bosniak parents changed it from Ramićević after moving to Turkey.
Claire DanesClaire Catherine Danes, born on the 12th of April 1979, is an American actress who holds three Primetime Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world twice, in 2012…
Brandy NorwoodBrandy Rayana Norwood, known simply as Brandy, once held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks in a row. The song was "The Boy Is Mine," a duet with the singer Monica. It is still counted as the most successful song by a…
Brendan CarrIn 2019, Brendan Carr, then a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, said the agency has no "roving mandate to police speech in the name of the 'public interest.'" Today Carr leads that same commission. He is an American…
Rosamund PikeRosamund Pike, the English actress and producer, was turned down by every stage school she applied to. She went on to win a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. Between those two points lies a career built on women who are hard to…
Chris PrattChris Pratt once lived in a van and a tent on a Maui beach. A restaurant shift there led to his first acting role.
Pink (singer)Pink, the American singer and songwriter born Alecia Beth Moore, once walked out to sing the US national anthem before Super Bowl LII while fighting influenza. For her it was the fulfilment of a childhood dream. As a girl in 1991, she had…
Jonathan KasdanJonathan Kasdan first appeared on screen in 1983, playing the son of Harold and Sarah in The Big Chill, a film made by his own father. Today his name appears in credits as a screenwriter, director, producer and actor. The path between…
Heath LedgerHeath Ledger made twenty films in a career that ended while he was still a young man. His last great performance won him an Academy Award that he never had the chance to hold. How did a schoolboy from Australia become an actor whom many…
Markus PerssonIn June 2014, Markus Persson posted a single line to his followers: "Anyone want to buy my share of Mojang so I can move on with my life? Getting hate for trying to do the right thing is not my gig." Persson is a Swedish programmer who…
Rose ByrneRose Byrne was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2026. She is the eighth Australian ever to earn a nomination in that category. The nomination was for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, released in 2025. By then she had worked…
John KrasinskiJohn Krasinski hosted a livestreamed prom on the 17th of April 2020. It was meant for high schoolers whose real proms had been cancelled, and 210,000 viewers tuned in. Live performances came from Billie Eilish, Finneas, the Jonas Brothers…
Oscar IsaacOscar Isaac wrote his first play in fifth grade, a Noah's Ark story with a doubtful platypus.
Diego ForlánDiego Forlán was 45 years old when he received a wildcard into the main doubles draw of the 2024 Uruguay Open in Montevideo. It was his first professional ATP tournament. The man walking onto the court had spent two decades as one of the…
Jason MomoaIn his audition for the role of Khal Drogo on HBO's Game of Thrones, Jason Momoa performed a haka. A haka is one of the intimidating Māori dances traditionally used to challenge an opponent or to welcome a visitor. Momoa is an American…
Evangeline LillyEvangeline Lilly needed nearly 20 tries to get a US work visa for Lost. She arrived in Hawaii one day late.
Christina KochChristina Koch became the first woman to leave low Earth orbit in April 2026.
Roger VerRoger Ver was arrested in Spain in April 2024 on a U.S. tax evasion indictment.
Rafael MárquezRafael Márquez is the only defender to captain a team at five World Cups. The Mexican played in 2002 through 2018.
Adam LevineAdam Levine was twelve years old when he played his first professional gig at The Troubadour. He was so nervous that he played with his back to the audience. Today he is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and only continuous member of the…